First report of the in vitro nematicidal effects of camel milk

Antipathogenic properties of camel milk have been investigated to substitute for drugs hence overcome drug resistance. The main objective of this present study was to investigate the anthelmintic activity of camel milk in relationship to its chemical composition. In vitro anthelmintic effects of camel milk against Haemonchus contortus from sheep were ascertained by egg hatching and worm motility inhibitions in comparison to milks from cow, ewe and goat as well as a reference drug albendazole. Chemical composition revealed that camel milk has higher contents of protective protein (lactoferrin) and vitamin C than other species' milk. It showed ovicidal activity at all tested concentrations and completely inhibited egg hatching at a concentration close to 100mg/mL (inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀)=42.39mg/mL). Camel milk revealed in vitro activity against adult parasites in terms of the paralysis and/or death of the worms at different hours post treatment. After 8h of exposure, it induced 100% mortality at the highest tested concentration. There was 82.3% immobility of worms in albendazole 8h post-exposition. No such effects were seen with the other species' milks. Bioactive compounds such as lactoferrin and vitamin C may be involved in such an effect. To our knowledge, these results depict for the first time that camel milk possesses in vitro anthelmintic properties and further in vitro and in vivo trials against different parasite species and stages are required to make use of this milk for the control of gastrointestinal nematode parasites.